VietKing on Darby Street at Cooks Hill is re-opening this weekend with a new owner, new management, a new menu and a new look.
You might, however, recognise a familiar face. Owner Dr Kathy Yen Phan previously managed two Vietnamese takeaway restaurants in Newcastle.
She is originally from Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam's south but has lived in the Newcastle area for eight years.
The new VietKing menu is a combination of "underrated cuisines" from across different regions of Vietnam, selected by Dr Yen Phan herself.
"From the north, there's the crispy pate bread stick from Hai Phong, and the bun cha ha noi (square crab spring rolls)," she said.
"From central Vietnam there's the spicy beef noodle soup, bun bo hue, and from the south there's the Saigon-styled crispy pancake and pork chop broken rice, caramelised fish, and the sweet and sour soup.
"VietKing reflects our authentic Vietnamese roots while modernising and pushing the boundaries of Vietnamese food."
Her aim is to introduce Newcastle diners to dishes they may not have experienced before.
"Vietnamese food is not only famous for pho and banh mi," Dr Yen Phan said.
"There will be many exclusives that customers can only find at VietKing.
"VietKing's must-try signature dishes include a platter of wraps and rolls; grilled pork patties with rice vermicelli; grilled chicken and coconut pandan sticky rice; grilled beef in betel leaves; combination sizzling beef; crab meat and cellophane glass noodle; and clay pot crab fried rice."
And then there's dessert: deep-fried vanilla bean ice-cream rolled with a thin sandwich, bread crumbs and shredded coconut and topped with caramel, chocolate or strawberry syrup; a tofu pudding; a creme caramel flan; and coconut taro (taro cubes, sticky rice, pandan extract and sugar, topped with coconut milk).
Dr Yen Phan, who has a background in management and tertiary research, is keen to share her Vietnamese culture and its many cuisines with food lovers. She has also decorated the restaurant with Korean artefacts from her personal collection.
"I completed my PhD in management at University of Technology Sydney and had been teaching and doing research for the university for many years," she said.
"Now it's time to challenge myself with my first start-up through which I can fulfil my passion for food and beverage as well as my strong desire to promote Vietnamese cuisine and culture; to bring the most quintessential dishes of Vietnam to our home town of Newcastle."
VietKing's grand opening is on Friday, September 1, and to celebrate diners are being offered a 20 per cent discount on their total bill from the all-day menu. This offer is valid from September 1 to 3.
VietKing at 116 Darby Street, Cooks Hill, is open seven days for lunch and dinner, and also offers coffee and breakfast from Friday to Sunday.
Short and sweet
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